Hallucinations: Causes, Types, Diagnosis, Treatment - WebMD

Seeing Things (Visual Hallucinations) MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesSlideshows&ImagesNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersMedicationsCrisisAssistanceFindaPsychiatristOverview&FactsSymptoms&TypesTests&DiagnosisMedication&TherapyRisks&ComplicationsSupport&ResourcesAnxiety/PanicDisordersBipolarDisorderDrugInteractionCheckerMentalHealthPsychoticDepressionSchizoaffectiveDisorderSchizophreniformDisorderSmokingCessationSchizophreniaReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbySmithaBhandari, MDonJuly26,2021InthisArticleWhatAreHallucinations?CommonCausesofHallucinationsHearingThings(AuditoryHallucinations)SeeingThings(VisualHallucinations)SmellingThings(OlfactoryHallucinations)TastingThings(GustatoryHallucinations)FeelingThings(TactileorSomaticHallucinations)DiagnosisandTreatmentofHallucinationsWhatAreHallucinations?Ifyou'relikemostfolks,youprobablythinkhallucinationshavetodowithseeingthingsthataren'treallythere.Butthere'salotmoretoitthanthat.Itcouldmeanyoutouchorevensmellsomethingthatdoesn'texist.Therearemanydifferentcauses.Itcouldbeamentalillnesscalledschizophrenia,anervoussystemproblemlikeParkinson'sdisease,epilepsy,orofanumberofotherthings.Ifyouoralovedonehashallucinations,goseeadoctor.Youcangettreatmentsthathelpcontrolthem,butalotdependsonwhat'sbehindthetrouble.Thereareafewdifferenttypes.CommonCausesofHallucinationsHallucinationsmostoftenresultfrom:Schizophrenia.Morethan70%ofpeoplewiththisillnessgetvisualhallucinations,and60%-90%hearvoices.Butsomemayalsosmellandtastethingsthataren'tthere.Parkinson'sdisease.Uptohalfofpeoplewhohavethisconditionsometimesseethingsthataren'tthere.Alzheimer'sdisease.andotherformsofdementia,especiallyLewybodydementia.Theycausechangesinthebrainthatcanbringonhallucinations.Itmaybemorelikelytohappenwhenyourdiseaseisadvanced.Migraines.Aboutathirdofpeoplewiththiskindofheadachealsohavean"aura,"atypeofvisualhallucination.Itcanlooklikeamulticoloredcrescentoflight.Braintumor.Dependingonwhereitis,itcancausedifferenttypesofhallucinations.Ifit'sinanareathathastodowithvision,youmayseethingsthataren'treal.Youmightalsoseespotsorshapesoflight.Tumorsinsomepartsofthebraincancausehallucinationsofsmellandtaste.CharlesBonnetsyndrome.Thisconditioncausespeoplewithvisionproblemslikemaculardegeneration,glaucoma,orcataractstoseethings.Atfirst,youmaynotrealizeit'sahallucination,buteventually,youfigureoutthatwhatyou'reseeingisn'treal.Epilepsy.Theseizuresthatgoalongwiththisdisordercanmakeyoumorelikelytohavehallucinations.Thetypeyougetdependsonwhichpartofyourbraintheseizureaffects. HearingThings(AuditoryHallucinations)Youmaysensethatthesoundsarecomingfrominsideoroutsideyourmind.Youmighthearthevoicestalkingtoeachotherorfeellikethey'retellingyoutodosomething.Causescouldinclude:SchizophreniaBipolardisorderPsychosisBorderlinepersonalitydisorderPosttraumaticstressdisorderHearinglossSleepdisordersBrainlesionsDruguseSeeingThings(VisualHallucinations)Forexample,youmight:Seethingsothersdon’t,likeinsectscrawlingonyourhandoronthefaceofsomeoneyouknowSeeobjectswiththewrongshapeorseethingsmovinginwaystheyusuallydon’tSometimestheylooklikeflashesoflight.Araretypeofseizurecalled"occipital"maycauseyoutoseebrightlycoloredspotsorshapes.Othercausesinclude:Irritationinthevisualcortex,thepartofyourbrainthathelpsyouseeDamagetobraintissue(thedoctorwillcallthislesions)SchizophreniaSchizoaffectivedisorderDepressionBipolardisorderDelirium(frominfections,druguseandwithdrawal,orbodyandbrainproblems)DementiaParkinson’sdiseaseSeizuresMigrainesBrainlesionsandtumorsSleepproblemsDrugsthatmakeyouhallucinateMetabolismproblemsCreutzfeldt-Jakobdisease SmellingThings(OlfactoryHallucinations)Youmaythinktheodoriscomingfromsomethingaroundyou,orthatit'scomingfromyourownbody.Causescaninclude:HeadinjuryColdTemporallobeseizureInflamedsinusesBraintumorsParkinson’sdiseaseTastingThings(GustatoryHallucinations)Youmayfeelthatsomethingyoueatordrinkhasanoddtaste.Causescaninclude:TemporallobediseaseBrainlesionsSinusdiseasesEpilepsyFeelingThings(TactileorSomaticHallucinations)Youmightthinkyou'rebeingtickledevenwhennooneelseisaround,oryoumayfeellikeinsectsarecrawlingonorunderyourskin.Youcouldfeelablastofhotaironyourfacethatisn'treal.Causesinclude:SchizophreniaSchizoaffectivedisorderDrugsthatmakeyouhallucinateDeliriumtremensAlcoholAlzheimer'sdiseaseLewybodydementiaParkinson'sdiseaseDiagnosisandTreatmentofHallucinationsFirst,yourdoctorneedstofindoutwhat'scausingyourhallucinations.They'llaskaboutyourmedicalhistoryanddoaphysicalexam.Thenthey'llaskaboutyoursymptoms.Theymayneedtodoteststohelpfigureouttheproblem.Forinstance,anEEG,orelectroencephalogram,checksforunusualpatternsofelectricalactivityinyourbrain.Itcouldshowifyourhallucinationsareduetoseizures.YoumightgetanMRI,ormagneticresonanceimaging,whichusespowerfulmagnetsandradiowavestomakepicturesoftheinsideofyourbody.Itcanfindoutifabraintumororsomethingelse,likeanareathat'shadasmallstroke,couldbetoblame.Yourdoctorwilltreattheconditionthat'scausingthehallucinations.Thiscanincludethingslike:MedicationforschizophreniaordementiaslikeAlzheimer'sdiseaseAntiseizuredrugstotreatepilepsyTreatmentformaculardegeneration,glaucoma,andcataractsSurgeryorradiationtotreattumorsDrugscalledtriptans,beta-blockers,oranticonvulsantsforpeoplewithmigrainesYourdoctormayprescribepimavanserin(Nuplazid).ThismedicinetreatshallucinationsanddelusionslinkedtopsychosisthataffectsomepeoplewithParkinson’sdisease.Sessionswithatherapistcanalsohelp.Forexample,cognitivebehavioraltherapy,whichfocusesonchangesinthinkingandbehavior,helpssomepeoplemanagetheirsymptomsbetter.ScrollDownfortheNextArticleHowDoIKnowIfIHaveSchizophrenia?WhatIsSchizoaffectiveDisorder?SchizophreniaWithParanoia:Symptoms9TypesofPsychoticDisordersHowtoHelpaLovedOneStayonSchizophreniaMedsFamousFacesofSchizophreniaAVisualGuidetoSchizophreniaPsychosisandPsychoticEpisodesIsItPossibletoPreventSchizophrenia?WhatArePsychoticDisorders?HallucinationsWhenSchizophreniaAppearsSchizophreniaandRelationshipsPsychosisTopicsCelebritiesWithSchizophreniaFamousfacesyoumayrecognize.WhatSchizophreniaLooksLikeBeawareofthesewarningsigns.9MythsAboutSchizophreniaTherealtruthonthiscondition.SchizophreniaWithBipolarorDepressionSymptomsofschizoaffectivedisorder.HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads